Fearless
by Lyla Calm
Summary: When Max "borrows" Anne's MP3 player late one night, she listens to Taylor Swift's song "Fearless"...and as Fang flies in through her window after a midnight flight, she finds that the song has put ideas into her head-about the two of them. FAX Songfic.


Disclaimer: I'm not James Patterson or Taylor Swift. :(

**FEARLESS**

I sat on the edge of my bed, flipping through the songs on Anne's mp3 player. What was with all the classical music? There were a few country songs, but still...I'd never heard of Taylor Swift before. Why not?

The song was already in-progress when I selected the playlist.

_We're driving down the road, I wonder if you know I'm tryin' so hard not to get caught up now,_

_ But you're just so cool, run your hands through your hair, absentmindedly makin' me want you._

I imagined the girl in the front seat. Maybe a tall blond, kind of like me? She'd be skinny, a really cute type. And the guy...he'd have dark features, kind of mysterious, with hair that hung over his eyes. Olive skin, black eyes. Kind of like Fang...

Whoa. Me and Fang? Not likely.

_Yeah, since Fang likes the Red-Haired Wonder._ The Voice could be so annoying sometimes.

My hands started shaking. Lissa, the Red-Haired Wonder. She was so perfect, she was like a red-haired Barbie doll. Okay, maybe _I_ was the one who _looked_ like prep school Barbie, but at least I didn't _act_ like it.

_Don't you see, Max?_ the Voice chimed in. _You're jealous._

No, I'm NOT.

_Picture yourself in Fang's arms. Picture yourself kissing Fang, instead of Lissa. _

Without meaning to, I let my mind form the scenario. Fang's half-smile as he watched me fix Nudge's collar, Fang's arms around my waist as we sat on the couch watching a movie with the flock, Fang's hands tangled in my blond hair as he kissed me...

_See? You like it. _

There was no way I liked Fang. I couldn't! He was like a brother to me. "I'm not discussing this anymore," I told the Voice aloud.

_Suit yourself._

I lay back on the pillows and took one earbud out so I could listen for the younger ones if they needed something. There was no way I was going to let Anne take care of Angel again.

_And I don't know how it gets better than this,_

_ You take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless._

_ And I don't know why, but with you I dance_

_ In a storm, in my best dress, fearless._

Catchy tune. But so untrue. I thought about Sam, about kissing him. Sure, it was great. Kissing always felt amazing, no matter who you were doing it with. But kissing Sam just didn't have any...fireworks. Like in novels, when the guy kisses the girl, and everything else disappears, and it's only the two of them...

_Open the window._

What?

_Open the window, Max._

Why?

But I opened the window without waiting for a reply-which, of course, the Voice didn't even bother to give.

The cool night air blew my hair out of my face-and my worries, too. I closed my eyes and leaned against the windowsill, listening to the owls hooting nearby and the sound of wings...wait, wings?

I looked up and squinted into the night sky, groping for the light switch next to my bed. It was so much easier to see things when the light was off.

Fang was flying toward his window, just down the hall on the same side as my room. He landed lightly on all fours, and he swept his hair out of his face with a jerk of his head. It was a nice night to go flying...

I closed my eyes again, thinking that Fang had gone back in through his window. The air was so refreshing, so mind-blowing, but so simple...

The music continued playing through Anne's mp3 player. It was almost over—I guess you'd call it the bridge of the song?

_Well you stood there with me in the doorway,_

_ My hands shake, I'm not usually this way, but_

_ You pull me in and I'm a little more brave,_

_ It's our first kiss, it's flawless, really something…it's fearless._

My eyes popped open. First kiss…and I was thinking about Fang…and much to my embarrassment, Fang was still on all fours at his bedroom window, grinning at me. Okay, since it was Fang, it was more of a half-smile, but still, it was the closest thing Fang had ever done to grinning.

Fang leaped off the ledge and soared above the roof before diving and landing neatly on my windowsill. And, of course, he flew in through the open window, like he did quite often. When Anne was in the hallway, Fang would sometimes fly out his window and in through mine, just so we could talk about our parents and try to crack the codes on the papers from the Institute. But this time, my stomach turned over as he climbed in through the open window. Maybe it was because I'd just been thinking about him in a way that I was sure wasn't right. I mean, he didn't even feel the same way.

_This is…kind of awkward,_ I thought to myself. But not as awkward as the stories Nudge told me about. Like, Nudge always liked to read novels, and I just couldn't be bothered to spend the time. Apparently, when a girl suddenly comes to the shocking realization that she's in love with a guy who's been her best friend forever, she becomes self-conscious and thus acts extremely awkward. But not me. _Because I obviously wasn't in love with Fang._

Remembering that Fang had the annoying habit of reading my mind by reading my body language increased my nerves. I shut down my thoughts, letting my mind go blank. But, of course, the Voice was right there, when it was completely unwanted.

_Tell him how you feel._

There's nothing to tell!

Fang sat next to me on the edge of the bed and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" I asked, struggling to keep a blank expression.

"What was with that look of horror on your face just now?"

I kept my face impassive, willing myself not to glance at the mp3 player. "It just got really cold all of a sudden." Lying through my teeth. Why did Fang have to be so observant?

_Mr. Observant has saved your tail on several occasions,_ the Voice reminded me.

I smacked my head, as if that would stop the Voice. Fang smirked. "The Voice?"

"No, I was swatting at a fly."

I took a deep breath and leaned against my headboard; Fang lay down next to me, folding his hands over his stomach. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just frustrated."

His dark eyes searched my face, waiting for me to elaborate. "All we have to go by is some confusing codes that don't make any sense. I'm tired of being on the run, I'm tired of not trusting anyone."

His eyes clouded. "You seem to be getting pretty comfortable with Sam."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"All I'm saying is, we have other people to trust. We have to trust Anne, and we have to trust the people at school."

I looked down at the bedspread. An image of the Red-Haired Wonder swam into my head again, making my eyes narrow and my face burn. Fang brought his head up to my eye level. He didn't say anything, but he just sat there, watching me dig my fingernails into the pillow.

"What are you thinking about?"

Usually, if I didn't tell him what was on my mind, Fang wouldn't push it. So you can imagine my surprise when he sat up and looked at me, his face telling me that he was serious.

_Tell him._

Okay, seriously, sitting in a room with Nudge after she's just had freaking sugar would be preferable to listening to YOU right now. So, Voice, can you please just shut up?

"I already told you," I said evenly, but tears were threatening to overwhelm me. I couldn't cry, not in front of Fang. I blinked them away; Fang's eyes widened a fraction of an inch. Damn. He could see right through me.

"Max—"

"I don't want to talk right now," I told him shortly, getting up from the bed and facing my mirror. "I already told you, it's just stress. Nothing to worry about."

I pursed my lips and continued to stare at my reflection, praying that I would find something better to focus my attention on. Something that would prevent me from blushing under Fang's never-faltering gaze.

I heard footsteps behind me, and I glanced in the mirror, seeing that he was no longer sitting on my bed. He was…_oh crap._

I whirled around to find him standing right behind me, staring at me with those mysteriously dark eyes. "I don't think it is," he replied, his whole body still, but he looked stiff at the same time. I stared at Fang, and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he realized I was too upset to argue with him anymore.

He put a hand on my shoulder and continued watching me, our faces inches apart. "Max," he whispered. "You don't have to be alone in this."

But I knew he was wrong. I was surrounded by those I loved. Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, Iggy, and Fang were all with me. We were safe, we were together. But I felt like the burden I carried was my own. Fang was my best friend, but not even he could understand the aloneness I felt, even when I was surrounded.

"You don't understand," I said flatly, not meeting his eyes.

"You're right," he said quietly. "I won't understand, unless you tell me."

I shook my head, pushing my emotions away and trying to regain my composure. But it's really hard to focus on your composure when your lips are occupied.

Fang leaned down, slowly and gently, and kissed me. I was so startled that I broke away, my mouth open in shock. He gave me a sheepish smile that said _I won't if you don't want me to._ But the truth was (as my Voice so helpfully pointed out), I _did _want him to kiss me.

I took a step closer to him and cocked my head to one side, hoping that my expression conveyed my message: _I want you to._ Well, he knew what I meant. He leaned down once again and gently kissed me, wrapping his strong arms around my thin figure. We stayed like that for a few minutes, and he pulled me closer as his arms tightened their grip on me. When we broke apart, Fang took my hand and we both fell onto my bed. I could feel his eyes on me as I stared at the wall, embarrassed and amazed at the same time. I turned to meet his gaze as a smile tugged at my lips. Leaning in, I gently kissed him again, so softly that our lips barely touched. He pulled me in, and it was flawless, really something...it was fearless.

**A/N: What'd ya think? Don't forget to review!**


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